Samoa’s national carrier Samoa Airways has reached an agreement to lease a
Boeing 737-800 aircraft from Fokker Techniek MRO, an aircraft leasing
company based in the Netherlands.
Samoa Observer reports that Minister for State Owned Enterprises, Lautafi
Fio Purcell told Parliament the aircraft is being prepared for delivery in
Amsterdam and is expected late July or early August.
Lautafi said the lease for the new plane is much cheaper which explains the
delay by the Government to secure it.
“We looked for a plane that is suitable for us, not an old plane, it may be
cheap but it might break down, bad engine and too much maintenance, [we
aimed] for an aircrft that is easy for us to manage,” he said.
According to the minister, the plane will be on a dry lease agreement which
will allow the airline to use its full crew to run the plane.
In Parliament during the budget debate two weeks ago, former Deputy Prime
Minister Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo divulged details of the lease agreement.
He said the plane would be acquired at a cost of $US254,000 a month which
is a lot cheaper than the last leased plane the airline was operating.
That lease was with Malindo Air of Singapore which ended when the country
went into lockdown under the COVID-19 pandemic State of Emergency
declaration.
“I believe if the aircraft and its operation is properly managed, we will be
able to lease another aircraft afterwards once the first one expected in
August arrives,” said Fonotoe.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi indicated last month that the
plane was being painted and he wanted to see it arrive in time for borders
opening up so it will have passengers to carry.
“Then we can have full loads coming in and going back out,” he said.
